The Zagori In NW Greece

Harold Gough · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:13 am Post subject: The Zagori In NW Greece

A week in the region in June showed it to be beautiflul, unspoiled and full of photographic interest. It wa slightly late in the year for flowers at lower altitudes but the meadows and roadsides on the mountains had large populations.

Orchids were found in many places, crickets were everywhere, and familiar and unfamiliar butterfies and dragonflies were plentiful. Look for my posts in the Nature gallery.

The central feature of the area is the Vikos Gorge, over a mile deep.This is it viewed (facing west) from Beloi, a 45 minute walk from the 'car park' across photographer-delaying meadows. I used a Lumix m4.3 7-14mm zoom:

I'm not to happy with blue skies in digital images but I took panaoramic shots on fine grain film too.

Further contributions will apear here as 'replies'.

Harold
_________________
Happiness is having the right adapter.

My manual flash setup for high magnification:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=117843#117843

Harold Gough · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:37 am Post subject:

Here is part of the main attraction near our southern base. At Meteora that is a series of monasteries built on the tops of huge pillars of rock, with precipices all around. Many are much higher up on rocks than these but here you get the whole flavour of the area in one shot, largely ignoring the rules of composition to do so:

The horizontally stratified rocks (usually much more finely so than here) were a strong feature of the landscape wherever we went.

After we had toured this complex we headed north, away from the town and into high meadow country, where we saw many orchids and other flowers.

Harold
_________________
Happiness is having the right adapter.

My manual flash setup for high magnification:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=117843#117843

Harold Gough · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 3:35 am Post subject:

The edges of the roads were not as precipitious as we expected.

Even very minor, remote roads were very drivable.

However, some roads were distinctly bumpier than others. Then we found out why*:

With the help of "Fill Light" in Topaz Detail2:

The Spur-Thighed Tortoise Testudo graeca. (Note the "T" on the shell).

* Just kidding! Wink

Most days we saw one on a road. We also saw snakes. The local tourist shops try to sell you a walking stick to lift the snakes out of your path. What you really need is running shoes as they retreat from human contact very rapidly, such that I never got a photo.

Harold
_________________
Happiness is having the right adapter.

My manual flash setup for high magnification:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=117843#117843

Harold Gough · Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:35 am Post subject:

I decided not to take my very large lenses with me. This turned out to be a good decision as we saw no birds larger than a Hooded Crow.

Anyway, I found that I was able to do bird photography in comfort and some style. We stopped in a village restaurant for a drink and saw that swallows were nesting under the roof* covering the outdooor eating area. I took some shots (with my 90mm Elmarit?) and then went to see the local panoramic viewing point.

We then returned for lunch and chose a table within 10m of the nest and with a good view of it. I had my Zuiko 70-300mm AF lens on my E-P2. It was then a matter of shooting when the birds returned to the nest every few minutes. I used ambient light.

They were still building the nest and were bringing back dry plant material for the final stages. We noticed that the female was doing the building and was rather choosey about which bits she would use, discarding others with much loud scolding of the male.

Him:

Her:

The pair enjoying "a domestic":

* The full name, never used these days, is the Barn Swallow. Unlike House Martins, which nest outside under the eves, the Swallow likes to be much further under cover.

Harold
_________________
Happiness is having the right adapter.

My manual flash setup for high magnification:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=117843#117843

flyer2o12 · Joined: 09 Jan 2012 Posts: 96 Location: Ireland

Woah!! That top photo is incredible!! I'd love to visit there sometime. Are there trails to walk down along the base of the valley?

Harold Gough · Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 11:29 pm Post subject:

Harold Gough · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:22 am Post subject:

A sad footnote. Yesterday my Travel Agent told me that the package he sold us last year is no longer available due to some kind of buy-out of the local company in Greece and there is not a comparable alternative.

Harold
_________________
Happiness is having the right adapter.

My manual flash setup for high magnification:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=117843#117843

Lothar-Gutjahr · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:24 pm Post subject:

Hi Harold,

i am sorry for you, this are real sade news and i can feel how disapointing this must be for you.

On the other side i want to thank you, for posting this beautifull place i actually mist, hence never heard about, while living in Greece from 1999 til 2008. Yeah "S. . .t happens" one could say.

Greetings from Southeast-Bavaria

Lothar

Harold Gough · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 11:42 pm Post subject:

Well, Lothar, I had one very enjoyable visit. This truly is an unspoiled part of Greece. I suspect I will return by other means at some time.

Harold
_________________
Happiness is having the right adapter.

My manual flash setup for high magnification:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=117843#117843

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